Poll finds almost half think U.S. likely to face a SARS epidemic

WILL LESTERAssociated Press Writer

Published Saturday, May 03, 2003

WASHINGTON -- Almost half of Americans think the United States is likely to face a SARS epidemic similar to that in Asia, according to an Associated Press poll that reflects anxiety over the rapid spread of the disease in other countries.

Still, most people aren't worried they will be exposed to the disease for now.

While almost half, 47 percent, said they thought it was at least somewhat likely the country would face such an epidemic, only 8 percent believed such a problem was "very likely," according to the poll conducted for the AP by ICR/International Communications Research of Media, Pa.

"I'm glad that people are paying attention to what is going on," said Dr. James Hughes, director of the National Center for Infectious Diseases. If the disease, severe acute respiratory syndrome, were to be mishandled, it could become much worse in the United States, he said Thursday. So far, nobody has died in this country, and none of the scores of probable or suspected cases has been confirmed as SARS.

"All it would take is one of those cases not promptly recognized or isolated," said Hughes, whose center is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Nevertheless, he said, "I don't think it would get away from us" the way it has in some other countries, principally China.

Blacks were more likely than whites and women more likely than men to think an epidemic is likely in the United States.

"If somebody comes into the country who's infected, and they don't know it, they could spread it everywhere," said Katrina Firth, a 41-year-old wife and mother of three from Spanaway, Wash.

There are more than 50 probable cases of SARS in the United States, Hughes said, and more than 200 additional suspected cases, most of which have not yet been tested. Cases have turned up in 38 states. No one in the United States has died from SARS.

Worldwide, there have been more than 5,000 cases of the highly contagious respiratory disease, with nearly 400 recorded deaths. Many of those cases originated in China and other parts of Asia.

People in this country are not particularly worried about exposure to themselves, the poll found. About a fourth said they were worried that they or someone in their family would be exposed to SARS, slightly fewer than in other recent polls. Only one in 20 was very worried, according to the poll of 1,014 conducted April 25-30. The poll has an error margin of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Dr. Kim Bullock at Providence Hospital in Washington, D.C., said that when news began spreading of the overseas epidemic in March, his hospital's emergency room received many anxious calls from people who had been traveling to affected areas.

As more information was put out by health officials about the symptoms, travel advisories and protection methods, however, "we began to see that leveling off," Bullock said.

In September 2002, a Gallup Poll found just over half of Americans were very or somewhat worried about the West Nile virus, twice the level of concern about SARS in this poll.

In the new poll, four in 10 said they were much more likely to contact a doctor, nurse or health center if they had symptoms such as fever, a bad cough or trouble breathing. Physicians groups reported scattered notifications from doctors about people calling in with fears they might have SARS, usually from those who recently traveled to China, Hong Kong, Toronto or other reported problem areas.

The poll found that 2 per cent of the overall population have changed air travel plans in this country because of the SARS reports.

"If people are planning travel," Hughes said, "they should be current on the status of advisories and alerts to destinations they have in mind."

Despite public concerns about the disease, many in this country still view it as a distant problem.

"I don't think about it," said 66-year-old oil worker Jerry Roberson of McAllen, Texas. "This is something that happens over in China."